It’s crazy how life can get rolling so fast, or be in such a routine that the weeks and months pass so quickly without hardly noticing them. I’ve found that to be true here. Can’t believe it’s really into October already. For us here in the village our months are not marked by the feel or change of the weather, by the holiday TV adds or decorations. None of that is present here so in these “cooler- fall” months in the States it takes an intentional effort to “feel” the change of the seasons and passing of the year. Those things are so obvious in the States and so absent here. But none the less I enjoy trying to communicate the 4 seasons to Dina & Abby thru craft projects, special treats of something Appley or Pumpkin flavored, and sometimes a chance to watch a “cold” movie like Frosty the Snowman while eating a popsicle and having the fan blow on us, thinking cold thoughts!
Our days are sure full, hard to communicate with you what exactly our days look like here in the village. Things are so “normal” to us but probably sound very out of place for you: Pumping water everyday with an old fashion hand pump so we can bathe and cook and have drinking water, often being called on to help a little boy with a terrible burn all over his foot, a baby who had 10 worms pass in her stool, and a grandma w a bruised side after falling on a sharp piece of wood while feeding her pigs. Those were a few of the medical events from this week. But praise the Lord for His wisdom and ability to help and be a blessing. We’ve seen many get better after we’ve been able to help them.
Other activities of late have been my climbing a lemon tree to get leaves for a dear grandma to chew with her beetle nut- (I’m not much of a tree climber but she had just been helping me for a couple hours in language study so I wanted to help her back.) We’ve helped kids with the English homework in the evenings- first year of English class and they’re “learning” words like parliament and archipelago- hard to know how to really help them with this material that’s way over their heads. And then of course the hours and hours Tim has spent in the office with neighbors working through the narrative of Genesis and now into Exodus. All of these activities are done in our 3rd language which adds to the challenge of getting all the words and concepts right when it runs through our brain and out our mouths. So even though these activities are normal for us, they still require more than we can do or have to give- thus the prayer “Lord speak through me, work through me, teach through me” is often in our hearts we often feel like we are not cut out for this, certainly there are better more qualified people. And yet God has us here, sustains us daily, and gives us the JOY of His presence and love throughout our days! Amen
Thank you again for your prayers for the airstrip and flight program here. At the beginning of September we took a week trip out to town and were able to fly back into the village using the mission plane. And not just any plane, but a larger one that is in our region while the pilots get more hours of practice flying. We were the first missionaries to use the plane after it arrived here from the States so the pictures and video were taken of our flight to report to the sponsors and donors back in the States who have helped to get the plane called the “Kodiak” this far. We thank the Lord for His provision and protection and for an easy 50 minute flight into the village that can take us 10+ hours of off-roading in our jeep. On the trip back out to town the plane was able to take a village family and their very sick little boy out to town to get him help after many unexplained seizures.
Another highlight from that flight was that Tim brought some of the scripture that had been translated into the local language. After landing we called together the locals that were there and read the scripture for them. Tim read the first day of creation and then made some comments about how God was the one who made everything that we see, and so it is right for us to give thanks to God for the airstrip. That was all he said and then he hung Genesis 1:1 on the shed door for the people to look at. This small event was a big step for us as we make steps towards sharing God’s message with the people of this area.
Many thanks to each of you for your prayers, emails, FB notes, and financial giving. You have no idea how the Lord is using your giving and praying in our lives and the lives of many here. Please continue to stand with us in prayer.
Grace and peace,
Tim & Andrea Ullum